Abduction
by EmJK
Summary: After a plot to murder the Originals goes horribly wrong, Caroline wakes up tied to a chair in a room with a very angry Klaus. How will she escape? And will she even want to? (TW for abduction and possible violence in later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This was a request from a friend who complained that there were "no good Klaroline kidnapping fanfics anywhere," so I have decided to write one. TW for abduction and possible violence in later chapters. This occurs after the Klaus murder plot in 3x18, but with a few slight deviations from the canon (assuming Rebekah is still daggered in the Salvatore mansion, for example). Please review guys, you have no idea how much it means to me!**

**Chapter One**

Caroline opened her eyes, the blurry edges of the room coming into her view as she scanned the scene. She saw her arms, bound to a simple wooden chair. She tried to break free, before noticing the needle protruding from her left wrist. The steady dripping let her know that her blood was being drained._ What the fuck_? she thought to herself,_ again_?

Bad memories began flooding in, no matter how hard she tried to block them. Images of her father, the reinforced steel chair she had been strapped in for so long. Of the room, more like cage, she had been locked in by Tyler's werewolf friends. Scowling at the memory, she tried once more to break free of the ropes that bound her, but to no avail.

"Hello?" she asked, her weary voice cracking on the last syllable. She was parched; for both water and blood. _Blood_. The very word made her stomach ache with hunger, as she felt the black lines color her eyes. "Hello?" she tried again, her voice just as weak. "Is anybody there?"

She strained her ears and heard, somewhere far off, a chair sliding back, creaking against the hardwood floor. She turned her head from side to side, ignoring the dizzy feeling it gave her. Was there any way for her to get out? The walls were painted white and completely bare. There were no windows, the only source of light coming from a small lamp in the corner of the room; much too far for her to reach. _Damn_, she thought. She tried to move her chair, but discovered it was attached to the concrete floors beneath her. _Come on_, she urged herself, attempting once more to break out of her chair, but nothing happened. She let her body relax, slumping back in her seat. The only sound she heard now was the steady dripping of her blood into the bucket beside her.

Drip-drip.  
_What am I going to do?_

Drip-drip.  
_How am I going to get out of here?_

Drip-drip.  
_What kind of sick idiot would do this?_

Drip-drip.  
_They would have to know I'm a vampire, right?_

Drip-drip.  
_That still doesn't narrow it down._

Drip-drip._ Creak._  
_I can not- wait. Creak?_

She tried to turn her head as the door behind her slowly slid open, but she couldn't see who it was. She debated pretending to be asleep, but figured it would be better to face it head on. Cool, calm, and confident, as her mom always said.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, "Why am I here?"

There was a short pause before she heard a voice answer; and when she did, it made her stomach turn. Hearing it, her memories of the night before began flooding back.

_We had another one of those plans to kill the Originals_, she recalled,_ after Stefan and Damon found all the white oak from the bridge. I came to the Salvatore house in case one of them showed up there, to get the staked Rebekah_, she remembered,_ and someone did show up; I thought that I was done for. So why…?_  
Then, she registered the words that were being spoken to her, some of her very least favourite syllables in the universe.

"Hello, love."

It was Klaus.

...

"Come on, Klaus, let me go." Caroline pleaded, eyeing him as he walked around the room and into her line of vision.

"Not yet, love," he said, leaning nonchalantly against the wall across from her, "First, we have some things to discuss."

"What the_ fuck_, Klaus? You kidnap me, tie me to a chair, drain me of my blood, and now want to have a civil conversation? Just untie me and leave me alone," she exclaimed, once again trying to break free of her wooden prison. In a second, Klaus was over to her, pressing her arms down gently.

"I brought you here so that you I wouldn't have to kill you, love," he explained, resuming his position against the wall; but not before Caroline noticed the alcohol on his breath.

"Have you been_ drinking_? Oh my god, Klaus."

He ignored her comment, narrowing his eyes at her. "Now, Caroline, at risk of sounding like a bad cop movie; we can do this the easy way or the hard way; it is entirely up to you."

Caroline gulped and shuddered as his eyes bored into her. "You're saying this is the easy way?" she demanded, a tad afraid to hear the answer.

"Now you're getting it, love," he smiled mockingly, disappearing from the room in a flash and returning holding a simple wooden chair, an exact replica of the one Caroline was sitting in. He dragged it over and sat down opposite to her, leaning back and stretching his arms behind his head. "Where should we begin?"

"How about you tell me why the fuck you kidnapped me and tied me to this chair?" Caroline demanded, rage and hunger evident in her red eyes. "Why not just kill me?"

"The Salvatore brothers kidnapped Rebekah and held her hostage; I'm merely returning the favor." he stated, with a condescending smile.

"What do I have to do with this? Go fucking kill Damon or something," she suggested, "We would all appreciate it."

"Ah," he said, a smile on his lips, "but this is so much more fun."

"Just fucking leave me alone, okay?" she exclaimed, unable to take his joking manner for a second longer._ Fun? He thinks scaring me out of my wits and nearly giving me a panic attack over memories of my abusive father is 'fun'?_ "I hate you and your entire fucking family."

Klaus' playful tone immediately turned dark and dangerous, and Caroline knew she was treading on broken glass. "Would you like to repeat that, love?" he asked, his voice quiet and controlled.

Caroline knew what she had to do; play to his weaknesses, be kind, and hope his ego would be small enough to let her go soon. However, she was too pissed to do any of this.

"Go to hell." she stated, and spit in his face.

He was quick enough to dodge the saliva before it hit him, standing up rapidly and leaning closer to Caroline. Her heart began beating rapidly as he moved even closer to her, their noses almost touching. "You should not have done that," he purred, pure rage and fury clouding his face.

A tense second went by, followed by another, and another, as Caroline's panic grew until she could no longer take it. Then, within a blink of an eye, Klaus was gone; leaving her, once again, alone.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews! I definitely couldn't have done it if it weren't for you guys. And remember, reviews mean faster updates! Just a quick note that I might change the rating to M in a few chapters for *conspiratory 6-year-old voice* a SEX SCENE!111!1111!11! (Really though, thank you so much. I love all of you!) Also, a trigger warning for attempted assault/rape comes late in this chapter, so a general warning. A massive thank you to pass-ionately for editing and general input!**

**Chapter Two**

"Klaus!" she shrieked, her hoarse voice echoing around the bare room that had been her prison for the past twelve hours; if she had been counting correctly. "Damn it, Klaus," she muttered. She had been calling to him for twenty minutes, but with no response. "Seriously, Klaus, get in here," she pleaded, shaking her tangled hair out of her face.

Finally, after many more minutes of cries, he appeared. "Do you need me for something, love?" he questioned sweetly, sarcasm in his brilliant eyes.

"I'm thirsty and I have to pee," she said, keeping strong eye contact with him._ Hopefully he can't hear my heart beating out of my chest_, she prayed. After hours of deliberation on how she could escape, this seemed to be the best option. Nothing too complicated, giving her just enough time and freedom to get out.

He laughed. "How unfortunate for you," he said, turning to leave once more.

"Klaus!" she exclaimed, not prepared to give up after so much time trying. Besides, she _did_ have to pee, "I'm being serious. And unless you want a mess on your floor," she left that hanging in the air, watching his reaction carefully. After what seemed like a lifetime, he sighed.

"Alright then, love, let's get going," he said, beginning to untie her wrists. Before she could get up, however, he leaned in to her, "But I promise you, if you even think about trying to run away, the consequences will be," he paused, making sure the words sank in, "deadly."

A shiver ran down her spine as Klaus roughly jerked her up, allowing her a second to regain her balance before dragging her out of the room. She was instantly surprised by what greeted her.  
She had imagined the rest of her prison many times, but never anything like this. It was, for lack of a better word, jolly. Floor to ceiling windows covered every wall, giving a beautiful sight of the forest outside. Judging by the sky, it was around eight or nine at night, the moon just peeking out behind the hazy watercolors of dusk. The room was filled with antique-looking furniture; tea tables, frilly curtains, and floral couches. Before she could get a better look, however, Klaus continued to yank her down a hallway and into a small bathroom.

"You have two minutes," he stated, his steely glare summing her up, "I'll be timing."

Caroline gulped and nodded, closing and locking the door behind her. She sat on the toilet, placing her head in her hands as she debated the best way to get out. Her entire plan had been focused on getting out of the chair, the room; and now that she was out, she had no idea what to do.

She decided on a tip her father had taught her when faced with a difficult situation. Evaluate every detail before coming to a conclusion; that way, you've seen every outcome and every solution.

Caroline drank in her surroundings, looking for any small thing that could help her. She noticed a mirror, reflecting her frantic face back to her, a chair, an array of toothbrushes, soap, a boudoir, face towels, a sky light, a bath mat-

_Wait_, she stopped herself mid-thought,_ a sky light_?

Immediately her impulsive side kicked into action as she deftly picked up the chair from the corner of the room and tucked it softly under the doorknob, hoping Klaus didn't hear the muffled_ thump_ it made. She then flushed the toilet, using the noise to disguise the _crack_ the boudoir created as she tipped it on its side and placed it directly under the opening. She strained her ears in case he had heard, but she detected no movement outside the door. Sighing in relief, she turned on the faucet and climbed to the top of the cabinet, standing to her full height.

_Come on,_ she urged, _just a few more inches! _

She stood on her tip toes, wobbling dangerously as her fingers just brushed the latch of the window.  
_This is your freedom on the line, Caroline, and maybe your life,_ she told herself, _reaching even farther up. Yes_! She had it. As quietly as possible, she turned the small latch, just as she heard Klaus' voice resounding from below.

"Your two minutes is up, love."

With a burst of speed she didn't know she had, Caroline threw open the window and knocked over the vanity, squeezing herself out of the small hole and into the night air beyond. She allowed herself only a few seconds of pleasure, however, before she was brought to her senses by the sound of Klaus rapping on the door.

"Caroline? Caroline, I swear to-"

She never got to hear what Klaus swore to, however, as she was already sprinting for all she was worth off the roof and into the dense woods beyond. _Stay straight_, she reminded herself,_ just stay straight and you'll get out eventually._ She ran on, the wind whipping through her blonde hair, twigs breaking under her bare feet.

She sprinted for what seemed like hours, checking behind her at intervals for any sign of Klaus or one of his hybrids; but she saw none. Finally, the lack of blood and aching of her muscles began to creep up, exhaustion taking over as she slowed her sprint to a run, her run to a jog. She forced herself to continue, thinking only of where she was going, and not where she'd come from. She tried to dispel the images of the consequences that could be brought to her if she didn't successfully escape; images that were reinforced by her sheer curiosity.

_Why hasn't Klaus come to find me yet? He spent so much time getting me, keeping me there, making sure I didn't escape; and now he's just let me go? _

_It doesn't make sense._

So she continued to run, ignoring the thoughts of exhaustion, hunger, thirst, and pure, unadultered terror.

It wasn't long before she heard the grumbling and honking of cars in the background, urging her to increase her pace as she dragged herself through the trees. Finally, when she felt like she simply could not move her legs one more step, she stumbled to the edge of a hill, a metal barrier blocking her from falling down into the highway below.

Never a religious girl, Caroline couldn't help but to thank some unseen force for her good luck.  
She slouched forward, slowly climbing down the hill as she ignored the aching in every one of her muscles, making moving almost impossible. Yet still she persevered, with only one thought on her mind.

_I need to find a phone. _

She waited until there was a lull in the late night traffic, using her last burst of energy to cross the four lanes unseen. She antsed through the underbrush and finally found the one thing she had been so dying to see for the past day. It was a small shop, just across the parking lot; a bar or restaurant, maybe. She couldn't care less what it was; but it had lights on, and that was all she needed.  
She began to stumble across the concrete, wincing at every step her mangled feet took. The nearest light to her began to flicker, sending black shadows across most of the carless lot. It instilled a sense of fear in her, a fear she hadn't had to feel in several months; ever since her body became superhuman. She glanced to her side, noting the three (obviously tipsy) men laughing rambunctiously a few yards away.

"Hey there, sugar, where you goin'?" the tallest one demanded, catching her eye. "Why don't you come on over here and stop being a stranger?"

She continued to walk, urging her exhausted limbs to keep a steady pace. _If any of them knew how weak I really was..._ she shivered, not letting her mind finish the thought. She glanced behind her shoulder, feeling queasy at the sight of the men walking behind her, cat-calling and yelling all the while.  
"Come on darling, I promise we can show you a good time," the fat man stated, revealing a yellowing and gap-toothed smile.

Caroline ignored them, continuing to the small shop and sighing in relief as she reached the doors. She tried to pull them open, but her stomach sank to her bare feet as she noticed the sign on the door.

_Closed._

"Hey there, honey, you alright? Why don't you come over and talk to us, baby?"

Her mind was racing, glancing all around her as she tried to sum up the situation. It was strange; they always taught you about how to defend yourself in situations like this; but once you were in one, everything slipped your mind.

She noticed a small light in the distance, accompanied by the sound of jazz music. She sized the men up once more, wondering if there was any chance she could outrun them. Her mind said yes, but her body was already screaming in pain. She took a step, the step that could define the rest of her life, and fell, crumpling to the ground.

She scampered to her feet, only to find the three men in a circle around her, their joking smiles dropped as the examined her, as if she were a piece of meat.

_No,_ she thought to herself,_ this can't be happening. This can not be happening to me._

The tall man stepped forward, grabbing her face between his hands and forcing her to look at him. She tried all she could to fight back, to get away, but it was to no avail. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" he mocked. With the last ounce of energy she had, she pulled back her knee and hit him as hard as she could in his soft spot, taking his opportunity of pain to escape. However, the other two men grabbed her arms and pulled her roughly towards them.

The tall man stood up, appraising her. "Bad choice, sweetheart," he purred.

Suddenly, the men were ripped from her sides, three resounding cracks landing in a row, as Caroline collapsed to the ground in a heap of exhaustion, fear, and pain. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was Klaus, fury clouding his eyes as he rubbed his knuckles.  
...

**AN: Well, this chapter did not go at all the way I was planning it to! I'm really sorry if this was triggering for anyone, I tried to play down the graphicness as much as I could. Please review with opinions and predictions! (How will Caroline react when she wakes up? Will Klaus be as much of an asshole? Why didn't he come after Caroline until the end?) Your opinions and ideas will shape the next chapters!**

**Follow me on tumblr at novellabellas or burdened-with-glorious-popcorn!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Oh my god, the reviews! I've been trying to respond to every one of them (except the guest ones, of course), and you have no clue how great it is! Thank you so much to the best editor and friend in the world, pass-ionately. I couldn't have done it without you! Once again, a general trigger warning for attempted assault/rape as Caroline relives the events of the last chapter. Thanks!**

**Chapter Three**

Caroline woke to a pounding in her head, the only muscle of hers that seemed to be alive. She opened her eyes and saw light streaming all around from a window in the wall opposite her, tangling around the furniture in the room and giving her a better view.

_Where am I_? she questioned, attempting to sit up, _Am I hungover again? _

She tried to sit up once more and succeeded this time, using her hands to support herself against the soft and bouncy material of the mattress she was lying on. She looked around the room, seeing if she could deduce where she was.

She was lying on a small cot in the middle of a blank room. There was a small window across from her, though it was only about the size of her head. A jug of water was sitting on the floor next to her, and as she noticed it her mouth began screaming in desire.

She slowly got up, moving each limb individually, before standing and pouring herself a cup of water. It was when she saw the print on the mug, showing the family crest of the Mikaelsons, that the memories from the past few days began flooding back.

_Klaus had kidnapped me to get back at the Salvatores and Elena,_ she thought back,_ and I was in this room thing with a chair and no windows, and Klaus was draining my blood, and I tried to escape, and I got to that shop, and the men were there, and-_

At this, Caroline shut her mind down completely,not wanting to complete the rest of that thought. But if that had happened, why was she still, presumably, in Klaus' place? However, before she could fully contemplate the events of the last night, the sound of footsteps nearby rushed Caroline into action. She placed her mug carefully on the ground and hopped back into the bed, evening out her breathing to look as if she were still asleep.

"Morning, love," said Klaus, from the doorway, "I know you're awake, you can stop pretending now."  
Caroline's heart sped up, but she continued to leave her eyes closed.

His voice went from pleasant to dangerous in less than a second. "Caroline, get up. You have something you need to do."

His quiet tone made her more scared than she could have imagined, and she reluctantly opened her eyes. "What more do you want from me?" she demanded, courage she didn't feel shining through her voice.

"Now then, that's more like it. Up and at 'em." He waited for Caroline to slowly push herself out of bed, before he grabbed her arm and led her, stumbling all the way, back to the first room she had been in. "So, as you know, I'm holding you hostage until I get a full apology, an agreement never to plan one of these horrendous plots again, my daggered sister, and Elena-"

He meant to continue, but Caroline interrupted, feeling her blood run cold. "Elena? But I thought you only wanted Rebekah back; Elena was never part of the plan," she exclaimed, her words tripping over themselves.

"True," Klaus conceded, "but that was before you decided to escape, love," he paused for a moment to glare at her. "Now, however, it's a lot easier. I'm going to send your lovely friends a video, list my demands, and then show them you; safe and sound and alive.

"Hopefully, they'll be fine with my terms and I'll let you go. If not..."

He didn't finish the sentence.

"But don't worry, love, I'll get them to agree."

"Yeah? And how, exactly, are you planning to do that?" she narrowed her eyes.

_If Klaus got his hands on Elena she would be dead within the hour,_ Caroline realized,_ I have to find a way to stop him. An idea popped into her head._

"Have you even seen Elena since before the murder plot, Klaus? Did you ever stop to wonder why the hell Stefan and Damon, who are both in love with her, would let her in on some crazy, dangerous mission?" she asked, putting her sixth grade acting abilities to the full test. "It's because she's not human anymore."

"Ha," Klaus scoffed, "isn't that adorable. Now, if my memory serves me, the Salvatores have often let human-Elena in on their little plans. Why stop now?"

"Because she almost got killed! They sure as hell wouldn't let her do it again!" Caroline exclaimed, pure irritation coursing through her veins. _Come on, Klaus, just believe me! Just this once, allow the fact that you don't know more than everyone else. _

"Alright, then, love; how about we see for ourselves just how human she is?" he suggested with a sweet smile, pointing to the chair she had been stuck in for several hours.

"Really?" she asked, irritation evident in her voice. _If I'm going to be stuck here until the Salvatores give up Elena, I might as well get a comfier room._ Her thoughts were interrupted as Klaus yanked on her arm, bringing her close to him. His aroma filled her nostrils; the scent of vanilla and pine almost overwhelming.

"I promise you," he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine and bringing her back to her senses, "if Elena is any less than one hundred percent alive, you will be the one to suffer the consequences." Smiling smugly, he pushed her to the chair and released her arm, waiting until she was sitting. He strolled over and bound the ropes around her wrists once again, though she discovered now that she was strong enough to escape them.

Klaus seemed to read her thoughts, "It's just for the video, love. Act normally and you'll be out soon enough."

She sighed, hoping that soon she would be home, safe and sound, in her bed. This image helped her concentrate as Klaus turned on the camera. "Hello, my friends of Mystic Falls," he smiled, emphasizing the word 'friends', "As I'm sure most of you have come to realize, our Ms. Forbes is currently absent from your lovely little town. Caroline, love, why don't you say hello?" he suggested, turning the camera to her.

She kept her smile, knowing it would piss Klaus off. "Hey guys! Don't worry about me, I'm great," she was interrupted by her captor's threatening glare and reminded herself of her bed. "I tried to escape, and I actually got pretty far. If it wasn't for the stupid idea by this idiot," she glared at Klaus, who blew her a mocking kiss, "to drain my blood, I would already be back. But don't worry, I'll keep trying!" she announced, her false cheeriness pushing her urge to cry away.

"Really, Caroline? Wouldn't you like to tell your friends how your little adventure ended?"

She blanched at his smug tone, swallowing the sobs that grew at her throat and threatened to break the surface. "I was, uh, in a bit of a compromising situation," she smiled, "but I'm alright now. One hundred percent good. All I can really remember was passing out and ending up-"

She paused, trying to recollect her thoughts, before continuing, "-here. Before I ended up here." She turned to Klaus, her false tone disappearing. "How did I end up here? Speaking of that, how did you find me? I thought I was doing well!" she complained, watching as he switched off the camera with an irritating sigh.

"It was a test, Caroline," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I could have caught up with you two seconds after your escape. Instead, I decided to see how far you could make it. I was surprised by your tenacity; that town was over a hundred miles away."

Caroline's mouth formed a small 'O' before she shook her head, as if clearing it. "Okay, then, but you never answered my first question; how did I get back here?"

He was momentarily stumped for words. "I-" His memories of the previous night began flooding back.

**...**

_"Damn it, Caroline," he growled, breaking through the wooden door just in time to see her ankles snaking out of the sky light. He sighed, debating whether or not he should bring her back now. She had been drained of blood; besides, it amused him to watch her painful attempts at outrunning him. He decided to merely follow; but slowly, and out of sight. _

_The first hour was torture. He simply could not believe how awful she was at running. He let her continue about half a mile in front of him until the sounds of breaking twigs and rustling leaves were too loud for him to handle. At this, he decided to trail a bit farther behind; not enough to let her escape, but enough to give him peace and quiet. _

_He continued this way for three or four hours, falling farther and farther behind as his thoughts wandered far from the forest. It wasn't until his ears picked up the faint sounds of traffic, about twenty miles away, that he realized just how far he had allowed her to stray. He strained to hear any sound coming from her, but heard none. _

_"Fuck," he muttered, an angry blush rising to his cheeks. He could almost hear Rebekah's taunting voice in his ear. _

_'You let her get away? Again, Nik?'_

_At that horrid thought, he continued, speeding up his pace until he was at a steady run. It was then that he heard it. _

_The scream. Her scream. A shriek of pure terror, making his stomach fall through the ground, his pulsing blood run ice-cold. He began to sprint as quickly as he could, only one thought filling his head. _  
_Caroline._

_He raced faster and faster, now hearing the sound of men's laughter mixed in with the blaring horns of the now-visible traffic._

_Caroline._

_Finally, he arrived at the edge of the highway, arriving at the parking lot in the blink of an eye. It was there, among the underbrush, that he finally paused, the sight playing out in front of him filling him to the brim with rage. _

_Caroline. _

_And three men._

_She screamed. _

_Without a second more to lose, he arrived at the scene, his body reacting freely. With a loud crack, all three men were on the ground. It was then that he noticed Caroline, a crumpled ball on the concrete. _  
_"Damn it, damn it, damn it," he muttered, "Why the hell did you let her out of your fucking sight?" he demanded himself, but with no answer. He reached down, pulling her wrist to him and feeling his heart resume beating as he felt the faint pulse there. _

_Never a religious man, at that moment Klaus began to pray. _

_He took a deep breath, biting into his own arm and laying it tenderly against Caroline's mouth. "Come on," he urged, "drink." Some part of her subconscious must have understood, as her lips latched lightly onto his flesh and began to swallow the red liquid. _

_After a few moments, once her cheeks had regained their usual rosy palor and she looked a bit less, well, dead, he picked her up. He thought about simply checking into a hotel here, but realized that a man carrying an unconscious, barefoot, wild-looking girl might seem like a bit of an alarm-raiser. _

_Instead, he tightened his arms around her waist and knees, wedding-carry style, and ran back to his cottage. _

**_..._**

He was brought back to present-day by the sound of Caroline's voice, annoyance in every syllable. "Klaus? Are we going to get back to this or not?"

He stared at her in confusion, a forgotten emotion flowing through his bloodstream and warming his every muscle. What? he thought, and suddenly felt a burst of anger spread through him. _How dare she make me feel like this, how dare she- what, exactly?_ Not knowing made him far more furious, and his words came out filled with rage. "We're done here." he stated, shaking his head to clear it of his thoughts, and locking and bolting the door behind him. He knew Caroline could get out in a matter of seconds, but right now he simply could not handle her.

He sat with his head in his hands and poured himself a large cup of scotch.

This was not going as planned.

**...**

**AN: Wow. I had a few requests to focus a bit more on the Klaus aspect of the story, opposed to that of Caroline, and I'm really liking how it's turning out! What do you guys think? Reviews really are the essence of my life. Thank you so much to all those already posted, and remember that I absolutely love hearing your input and edits. Bye!**

**Follow me on tumblr at novellabellas or burdened-with-glorious-popcorn!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I really don't know what to say, other than a simple "wow." I just can't believe how much recognition this story has gotten! Thanks to all those who followed me on tumblr, followed this story, and especially to the reviewers. Thank you so much! Again, an enormous thank you to pass-ionately for the ideas, edits, and input. I don't think that this chapter requires any special trigger warnings, but I'd be more than happy to include one if someone asked.**

**Chapter Four**

A few days passed in tense agony. Klaus hadn't said a word to her, and she was too afraid to break out, for fear of more mood swings. Finally, however, the bloodlust took over, and she was forced to leave the relative safety of her room.

She stood up and tiptoed to the door, pressing her ear against it. Is Klaus here? she didn't hear anything, and decided to risk it. She snapped the bolt on the door, lightly pulling it open and walking out.

It was then that she heard two voices bickering. _Wait? Two? _

She lightly strolled over to them until she could just make out what they were saying.

"Calm down, brother," That was Klaus. _Brother? But that meant-_

"What were you thinking, Niklaus?" Elijah demanded, "Of course they'll want their revenge. And who will they take that out on? Our dear sister, perhaps?"

Caroline smiled, knowing how pissed Klaus got when one of his brothers patronized him.

"Fine, then. If they want revenge on Rebekah, we'll just have to pay back the favor." It took a few seconds for Klaus' words to sink in. Then she blanched, her limbs suddenly feeling rubbery and not very limb-like.

"Really, brother?" Elijah let out a small laugh, "Will you really be able to do that? Or would you rather I did? Niklaus, she escaped, and all that you did was laugh it off. The Salvatores are going to be ruthless, and I suggest we beat them at their own game."

Caroline had heard enough. She scampered lightly away and back to the kitchen, trying to ignore the words they had said.

_What do I do? I can't escape. Klaus caught me easily enough; then again, I did have my blood drained,_ she thought, _but two Original brothers against me? And when I got to the town, where would I go? I couldn't exactly wait there for someone to come pick me up. Plus, it would be putting someone else in danger_. Finally, she sighed, deciding to take her chances with staying.

Resigned to this fact, she opened the fridge and was surprised to find the contents inside. Her eyes fell upon milk, apples, bread, and everything else you found in the typical American house. Unfortunately, typical American food was not what she was craving. _Think, Caroline. If you were Klaus, where would you keep your blood_?

She spun around, noticing for the second time a large, Impressionist painting of a vampire that looked eerily similar to her captor. She hurried to it, lightly pulling on the right edge of the frame. It swung back easily, revealing a small fridge within.

_Really, Klaus? Safe behind the picture_? She couldn't help but to laugh.

She reached in and pulled out a blood bag, taking care to move the others around so that the loss was not visible. She then turned around to make her way back to her room and stopped dead at the sight of Elijah in the kitchen, coolly watching her every move.

A long pause ensued, broken by Klaus strolling casually in. Finally, she asked, "May I help you?"

Klaus' face broke into a grin, though Elijah remained somber.

"Not at all, love," the eldest brother said, "though we're going to redo the film, as we both got a tad side-tracked last time."

Caroline nodded, walking past them and back to the cellar. However, before she could open the door, Elijah stopped her, sympathy on his face. "Caroline," he said, his voice serious.

"Elijah," she said, mimicking his tone, "Why are you even here?"

"I came to see my brother; and you can only imagine how surprised I was to find Tyler Lockwood's little vampire girlfriend here as well," he explained, as Caroline blushed.

"Great," she said, attempting once more to get past him. He stayed firmly in place.

"Caroline, I know you heard Niklaus and I's discussion this morning," he explained. At this, Klaus interjected,

"You have the eavesdropping skills of an elephant, love."

Elijah looked back to his brother, a warning on his face, before regarding Caroline once more, "We know you heard us this morning. And you know what you heard. I'm sorry, Caroline, but consequences are consequences and revenge is revenge."

"Elijah," Klaus' voice was a warning, but he was ignored.

"Niklaus, the fact is that if we don't set an example, she'll try to run again; and this time she may succeed."

"First of all," Caroline interrupted, "I'm right here, so stop talking about me as if I'm not in the room. Second, I'm not going to try and run again. I've had enough frightening experiences from that ploy to last me a lifetime," she said, and it was the truth. "Compel me if you want."

"See, that's a small part of the problem," Klaus said, "Unfortunately, there is still a large amount of vervaine in your bloodstream, and for some reason it has decided not to come out."

"So, for now, compulsion is not on the table," Elijah explained.

"Okay, but still; I'm not going to run. I promise." She searched the brothers' faces for any hint that they believed her, but there was none. "Really!" she added.

The youngest brother seemed to deliberate for a moment, before moving out of the way and allowing Caroline to open the door. She let out a long, relief-filled sigh; but before she could close it behind her, Elijah grabbed the wooden edge.

"Just remember that I take promises very seriously;" he warned, "and if you do anything to breach yours, the consequences will be _extremel_y severe." he paused, making sure she heard, before allowing the door to slam shut with a resounding_ thud._

"_Extremely_ severe," she mocked, trying to make light of the situation. With a groan, she dropped once again to the ground, examining herself. Her light blue shorts were ripped in several places, discoloured by dirt, grass, and sweat. She tried to dust some of it off, but it did little good. She lightly massaged her bare feet, the cool concrete soothing them instantly. Finally, after she felt she could resist the temptation no longer, she opened the blood bag and began to drink. She stopped once she was about halfway there, wanting to save some for later, and was immediately rejeuventated.

New ideas of escape filled her head, and it was only remembering Elijah's chilling warning that helped her to dispel them. She sighed and laid back, trying to ignore the uncomfortable stone beneath her. Finally she gave up, standing and leaving her cellar once more.

She wandered around the small rooms and made a floorplan in her head. Directly out the door of the chair-room, there was a small kitchen with a living room directly to the left. To the right, there was a long and bare hallway, leading, as she knew, to the small washroom. She didn't hear either of the Mikaelson brothers anywhere, so she decided to go on a tour.

_There's nothing wrong with that, right? It's not like I'm planning to escape or anything,_ she reassured herself, _I can't get in trouble for just wanting to walk around. _

With that thought in her mind, she turned to the right and marched down the hallway, passing the bathroom on the way. She saw the room with the small cot in it as well, the one she had woken up in yesterday. She continued on, passing a linen closet and what she assumed was Klaus' room, before taking a sharp turn to the left and ending up in front of a normal-looking door. She pulled it open, surprised it wasn't locked, and let out a gasp of awe.

_Klaus has a library? _

The entire room was covered in walls and walls of books; everything from Shakespeare to J.K. Rowling to Encyclopedia Britannica covering the shelves. She let out a small puff of breath before strolling over to the nearest shelf to her and stroking the fine leather covers. When she turned around, she was surprised, once more, to find someone watching her.

"What is it with you Originals and stalking?" she demanded, as she tried to regulate her quickening pulse.

His face split into a grin, "It runs in the family," he explained, plopping into a leather armchair a few feet away from her. "So, I see you've found my library," he said, gesturing around him. "You're welcome to have a peek around."

She nodded, not so much wanting to have a peek around as trying to escape his bizarre mood swings. Soon, however, she was engrossed in the magic of the high-ceilinged room. She pulled out several books and settled down in the far corner of the room, as far from Klaus as she could get.

A few hours passed, with neither of them moving or saying a word. Finally, having finished her novel, Caroline could not bear the nerve-wracking silence anymore. "Where's Elijah?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"He and I had a bit of a difference of opinions. He's gone out hunting to clear his head, though I believe it's also to escape the boredom of this place. My brother was never really one for sitting around and smelling the roses, if you'll forgive my cliche."

Caroline nodded, before realizing that his turned back could not see this. "Alright," she said, and stood once more. Before she left, however, she turned back to Klaus. "Do you have any blankets or pillows of some sort?" she questioned, unsure if he would be reasonable enough to provide them.

After a tense few seconds, he nodded, turning back to his book.

_Go, Caroline, before your luck runs out,_ she urged, but couldn't help herself.

"Have you talked to anyone from Mystic Falls yet?" she demanded, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could reign them in. She had had quite enough of this prison for the rest of her life, and she was eager to get out.

He considered her briefly, "Yes. Somehow Tyler Lockwood," he pronounced the words as if they were made of acid, "was able to get ahold of my phone, and he blabbered endlessly to me before I hung up. I was forced to disconnect my landline." He said, evidently irritated.

She nodded, much too afraid to ask any more questions. She scampered out the door and into her cellar-of-a-room, settling on the floor with another book she had taken. She wasn't planning on reading it; instead, she pulled out a pencil she had snatched from the counter and began to sketch a rough outline of the floor plan on the back of the first page. She was going to get out of here. And it was going to be soon.

...

**AN: I know, I know, it was only a bit of a filler chapter. Still, it sets up everything in the next chapter; and I promise that one will be very interesting. Again, thank you so much to all the lovely followers, reviewers, and editors. I love you guys with all my life! **

**Follow me on tumblr at novellabellas or burdened-with-glorious-popcorn!**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry about the last chapter, guys. I know nothing really happened (other than discovering Klaus' library!), but you have to have filler chapters to get good ones, I suppose. Trigger warning for violence and torture in this chapter, so I would suggest skipping over it if you get triggered by that sort of thing; I can just summarize at the beginning of the next chapter. Thanks to all the reviewers, followers, and input-ers (?). I love you guys so much!**

**Chapter Five**

A ridiculously painful week passed, Caroline's lack of patience leading to her almost ripping out all her precious hair. She hadn't seen Klaus much, but Elijah was just as strict as he had been over her previous days.

She checked and rechecked her escape plans in any moment she had alone; making edits here and there as she marked every window or possible escape route. Finally, after days of painful deliberation, she was ready.

Klaus was in the library, as always, reading quietly in his chair. Elijah had gone for a long hunt directly in front of the house, as he did every day; and the sound of Klaus' footsteps approaching her door filled her with a small sense of hope. She quickly laid down on her bed (a small cot that had magically appeared, along with a pillow and blanket, a few days earlier), controlling her breathing and heartbeat to normal time and pretending to sleep.

"I'm going to the hospital to fill up on blood, sweetheart," he said, his voice soft and steady, "I'll be back soon."

Caroline waited with bated breath until she heard the front door slam behind him. She had timed this perfectly the previous week, noting how much time it took for him to get there and get back; and she didn't have a second to lose. She grabbed a blood bag, hidden under her pillow, and drained it quickly as rejeuventation soaked her limbs. Finally, when she couldn't put it off any longer, she tiptoed out of her room and into the hallway, straining to hear anything; but the cottage was silent. She let out a deep breath and snaked around to the back of the cottage, exactly in the opposite direction from where Elijah hunted.

She took a deep breath and began to run.

...

Caroline exited the house; and for the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt free. The leaves rustled as she ran by them at vampire speed, her hair flying at her sides. Her smile felt almost uncontrollable as she moved effortlessly through the tall trees.

_Finally._

Unfortunately, Caroline's moment was cut short by a loud crash to her left. Immediately, she stopped running and stood entirely still. She glanced to the left and right, dropping to a crouch and surveying the scene.

_There is no way that was an animal. _

"Who's there?" Caroline cried out hastily. If she was going anywhere, it would not be without a fight. "Hello?" she tried again, straining to hear something, _anything_, through the thick undergrowth.

She sensed a quick snap and turned to her left. Suddenly, a creature strolled out of the bush; and the mere sight of it was enough to send Caroline reeling as she collapsed, helpless, to the ground.

She stared in horrified disbelief at the man in front of her before jumping to her feet and attempting to sprint away. Elijah, however, did not want to play this game. He easily caught up with her, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"I thought I told you, Caroline, that the consequences would be severe," he said, attempting to restrain her fighting and flailing limbs. "It would be in your best interest not to resist me." Finally, he gave up, rapping her smartly against the skull with his knuckles.

And then it all went black.

**...**

"What are you doing?" Caroline demanded groggily, her head pounding. Elijah was standing next to her, binding her arms, once more, to the chair in the middle of her room. She then recognized the smell and sound of the drip-drip of blood, and realized she was being drained.

_Damn it! I just can't catch a break!_

"As I've told you several times, Caroline, we had a pact. If you ran, there would be consequences. You ran, and must face the consequences."

She felt herself go white as she heard the sympathy and regret in his voice. If anything, Elijah was a man of his word; and he had said the consequences would be extremely severe. Noticing the small bottle of vervaine-colored liquid next to her, she began to realized just how severe they would be.

"Are you going to torture me?" she demanded, trying to keep the trembling out of her voice. She would rather just know; but Elijah ignored her question.

_Fuck. Why did I run?_

"I'm sorry, Elijah," she pleaded, "but please, just let me go. This isn't my fault! As I've told Klaus before; if you want revenge on the Salvatores, kill Damon. We'll all be in your debt."

Her feeble attempts at lightening the conversation did not work.

"I truly am sorry, Caroline, but you brought this upon yourself."

He took a small stake and dipped it in the vervaine, ignoring her shaking tears. With a resounding thud, he brought it down hard on Caroline's thigh, stepping back as to not stain his pants.

_Come on, Caroline, no crying. No screaming. You can do this._

All her strong thoughts were lost, however, when Elijah stabbed her with the second stake; deeper and harder than the last. She let out a long shriek, echoing all around the four walls of the room. Again and again, he staked her and attacked her, until she felt her pain could not reach a greater level. Her voice was hoarse from screaming, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as sobs wracked her body.

Yet he kept going, again and again.

_You'll be unconscious soon,_ she tried to reassure herself, _it's only a bit longer._

After another half hour, she simply was not able to bear it.

"Please, please, Elijah," she pleaded between sobs, "please."

His only response was to stake her once more.

...

Klaus hurried back to the cottage, blood bags filling the backpack he wore. He was hoping to get back before Elijah, before Caroline woke up. He was about halfway there when he heard a scream, the faint whisper of pain. He hurried up, sure that it was just Elijah tracking some unfortunate victim who had strolled into the forest. Still, he had to be sure.

The screams grew in both number and volume, unlike anything Klaus had ever heard. There was no possible way they were coming from a human, no possible way that someone could feel that much pain.

As he grew even nearer, finally able to hear them clearly, however, his heart stopped. It was Caroline. Caroline, sobbing and shrieking as if she were on her deathbed.

_But how...?_ he wondered, before his mind came to an obvious conclusion.

_Elijah._

He began to sprint as quickly as he could, though his limbs were not going fast enough for his wishes. Pure adrenaline coursed through his veins as he dropped the backpack. Soon, the cottage came into view. Putting every last ounce of energy he had on the line, he raced in, trying not to get distracted by Caroline's wails. When he arrived at the cellar, approximately a quarter of a second later, it was all he could do not to throw up.

Caroline, bloodied and battered, collapsed in the chair. Elijah, his own brother, standing over her; stake in his hand. Klaus ran forwards, knocking the piece of wood out of his brother's steady hands.

"This was not part of the plan, Elijah," he stated, locking his furious eyes with those of his brother.

"She ran," he gestured to Caroline, quiet sobs now wracking her body, "I had to stay true to my word. My, are you developing a soft spot for this girl?

Somehow, his infuriating reasonableness made Klaus even angrier than he already was; grabbing the stake and quickly shoving it into his brother's abdomen. It wasn't much; he would be up and walking around in no time; but it was enough.

He quickly untied the ropes at Caroline's wrists and ankles, ripping the syringe from her arm and settling her into his arms. He quickly marched to his room, depositing her on the large bed and tucking the blankets up over her. He tried to ignore her tears of pain and trauma, fetching a cool cloth and placing it on her forehead.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered, as her shaking frame gradually fell into an uneasy sleep. He couldn't help but to gaze at her resting features; the delicate, china plains of her face, her golden hair tumbling lightly around her. He reached out and stroked along her cheekbone, allowing his hand to rest there for several seconds before he left.

"Sweet dreams," he muttered as he left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

_Now, it's time to deal with Elijah._

He hurried to the cellar, the 'chair-room', as Caroline called it, now dotted with splatters of blood and vervaine. He noted his brothers form, though the blue veins in his neck were less pronounced than Klaus would have liked them to be.

_Damn_, he thought, _he'll be up in an hour._

He sighed, wishing desperately that he hadn't left all his white oak in Mystic Falls.

_Oh well, an hour is still an hour._

He briefly debated whether or not to drain his brother, but decided against it. He would be infuriating enough when he woke up; why bother adding to his anger?

He made his way back to the kitchen, collapsing on the counter and pouring himself a tall glass of dark amber liquid.

_What was I thinking, leaving her alone with only Elijah for company? I knew he hated her, along with the rest of the Mystic Falls clan. How could I have been so stupid?_

And with those uneasy thoughts filling his brain, he poured himself a second glass. He was going to need all the help he could get.

**...**

**AN: Yes, a real chapter! Finally! I'm actually really proud of this one; it turned out exactly as I was planning, which is pretty rare in writing. This story is progressing fairly quickly, though; who's excited to see some Mystic Falls characters getting mixed in soon? (I am!) Thanks again to all the reviewers, and once again, please give suggestions! They really do help shape later chapters, I promise. :)**

**Follow me on tumblr at novellabellas or burdened-with-glorious-popcorn.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thank you so much to everyone. I've started getting asks on tumblr about this fic, which is something that brings me way too much happiness to be normal. Thank you to all the reviewers, followers, and editors, as always. Thanks to pass-ionately for putting up with my relentless late-night drabbles and letting me know when everything was too shitty to post.**  
**Summary for those who skipped last chapter: Caroline tried to escape, Elijah tortured her, Klaus came home and staked his brother and tucked Caroline in, the end.**

**Chapter Six**  
_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

"It's been two weeks, Damon. Two _weeks_! We have to do something!" Elena exclaimed, pushing her hair back as she paced back and forth in the Salvatore mansion. "This is _Caroline_ we're talking about. Do you really think she'll be able to survive any longer alone with him?"

"Elena, listen to me. He's not going to give her up until he has everything he listed in his hands. That means Rebekah, all the white oak, and," he paused, making sure she understood, "you."

"We'll figure something out; we always do. Bonnie's done the locator spell and we know exactly where she is! All we have to do is get in and get her out. We've done it before."

Damon watched her for several moments as her pacing slowed. Soon, she dropped down on the couch next to him and turned until they were facing, waiting for his response. It came moments later.

"No."

"Fuck, Damon. You can't control my life."

"True, but Stefan, Bonnie, and I can damn well make sure you don't put it in jeopardy." His voice was raising, his tone growing angrier. "Why would you willingly give up your life to give Caroline the slightest chance of escape?"

"Because it's Caroline."

Damon rolled his eyes and hopped up to pour himself a drink. He swirled the red liquid thoughtfully before coming to sit back down.

"Is that wine or blood?" Elena asked, hoping to take a lighter turn off the conversation. Damon smiled.

"Would you like to try it and find out?"

Their banter was interrupted by the buzzing of Elena's cell phone. "Stefan wants us to meet at the Grill in fifteen minutes," she read off quickly, "and he says to bring all the white oak." The surprise in her eyes was evident.

"Who in all is coming?"

"Bonnie, Matt, Jer, you, me, Stefan, Tyler, I think."

"Well then, we'd better get going."

...

"Alright, I'm assuming that by now you've all seen the video of Caroline and Klaus, and know what all his demands are. I've done a locator spell and I know roughly where she is, which is a good start. The bad news is, because she's technically dead, I'm not able to tell whether or not she's currently alive. Right now, we really only have two options. Sit back and let him eventually come to us, or attack. Opinions?"

Elena interrupted Bonnie's explanation. "Or we could give him what he wants and get Caroline back without risking everyone else's safety."

"Respectfully, Elena, everyone else's safety was at risk the second Klaus rolled into town," Stefan said, "And I doubt that Caroline would be in any more danger if we left her with Klaus than if we tried to rescue her."

Matt let out a sigh, collapsing back into his chair. "This is all some seriously messed up business."

_I feel so sorry for him, _thought Elena, _he never asked to be dragged into any of this. Hell, none of us did. Then again, if it weren't for the Salvatores I'm sure we'd all be dead._

"I think we should stay," piped up Tyler, for the first time this afternoon, "I know it sounds like a bad idea, but I can make my own choices. I'm not sired to Klaus anymore, and this is what my gut is telling me. I managed to get ahold of him on his cell phone and he didn't sound angry or vengeful at all; if anything, rescuing Caroline is just going to make him infinitely more pissed.  
"We've known for a long time that he has a weakness for her, so why not use it to our advantage? Right now, I'd wager that he's more worried about Rebekah's safety than we should be about Caroline's. It makes sense to let him make the next move."

Silence settled through the air as most of the teenagers tried to understand Tyler's idea. Soon, however, they realized it made sense. One by one, they agreed, a small weight lifting off their shoulders at the decision.

_It may be Klaus' game, but we sure as hell aren't going to play by his rules._

**...**

_Klaus' cottage, Pennsylvania- 6 hours away_

"Damn it, Klaus, what on earth could you possibly have been thinking?" Elijah demanded, sitting across from his brother at the kitchen table, "First you left her alone at the house, then when I tried to reinforce the rules, you attacked me? What are you doing?"

Klaus frowned, picking at the wood with his fingernails. What had he been thinking?

_I was thinking that she wouldn't try to escape. I was thinking that she finally didn't view this place as a prison; that she didn't see herself as a captive._

Suddenly, the Original was much angrier than he had ever been.

_Why didn't I just let her die? I showed her compassion and friendship and humor and she threw it all into the trash bin. I trusted her and she double-crossed me._

But of course, he couldn't tell Elijah this. "I, uh, I thought she was asleep," he fibbed, "her breathing was perfectly even. Plus, I wasn't aware _you_ were planning on going on such a long hunting trip."

_There you go, but the blame on somebody else,_ he thought.

Elijah let out a long sigh, cracking his neck back and forth in obvious annoyance. Klaus could be very irritating at times, but they were still brothers. Besides, there was no harm done. Well, other than getting a stake to the heart (while not permanent, it was still rather uncomfortable). "Fine, brother, I forgive you. Let us lay this matter to rest."

Before Elijah could get up, however, his brother grabbed him by the hand. "And what if I don't forgive you? You forget, Elijah, that there are two parts to this. I certainly made a mistake by leaving Caroline here unaccompanied; it was you, though, who tortured her for several hours. If I had not returned when I did, what might have happened? Would Caroline be dead?"

Elijah tensed, and Klaus realized that he had hit the truth head-on.

"You were going to kill her."

"She needed to be punish-"

"Stop with all the 'consequences' bullshit, Elijah." Klaus paused, and felt more hatred for his brother than he ever had before. "I want you out, brother. Leave." When Elijah didn't move, he emphasized, "Now."

A few seconds later, he was gone.

Klaus leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the table and rubbing his eyes. This entire situation would be the death of him. He was so locked in his depressing thoughts that he didn't even hear Caroline's fragile footsteps approaching.

"What was that about?"

Klaus turned to look at her, surprised that she was up this early. His eyes strayed to her bare legs, still riddled with bloody gashes, and covered only by a pair of sleeping shorts. She marched away from him and towards his safe of blood, giving him a horrifying view of the damage Elijah had inflicted on her. She noticed him staring and pulled down the bottoms of the shorts, in an attempt to hide the battered skin.

"It'll heal."

He nodded, turning back to the table where he was sitting and removing his feet from the polished wood. "Why are you up so early, sweetheart?" he questioned, grabbing an apple off the nearby counter and twirling it around in his calloused hand.

"Well, I have to admit that it's a bit difficult to sleep after being ruthlessly beaten and tortured by an Original vampire for over three hours."

Klaus felt color flush his face. _The way she had said it; she didn't say, 'Elijah', but 'Original vampire'; as though she was lumping him in with his sadistic brother._

_I would never hurt Caroline like that. Never._

Suddenly, he was filled only with self-doubt.

_I hurt others like that; almost every day. I kill, torture, and maim anyone who gets in my way, no matter how important or unimportant they are. _  
_So why not her?_

"Klaus?"

He cleared his mind quickly, hopping up from his seat and sending the wooden chair crashing to the ground. "There's soap and bandages in the bathroom. I would recommend getting cleaned up." Without another word, he stormed off.

_He's probably going to the library, _Caroline thought_, realizing that she had begun to recognize his daily habits. It was cute, really. Wait; cute? What, in this entire fucking situation, could be labeled as 'cute'?_

She paused for a moment, revising her thoughts.

_Fuck. Do I have Stockholm Syndrome? Klaus kidnapped me, drained me of my blood, left me for a week with barely a word, brought his fucking brother home, and then left said fucking brother to brutally torture me. Then, when I bring it up, Klaus storms off in a huff. And I label it as cute?_

_God, I need to get out of here._

Little did she know that just over six hours away a plot was being formed to get Caroline out; and she wasn't going to like it.

**...**

**Alright! So, as you can see, a bit of drama being developed here. Does Caroline have Stockholm Syndrome? Or could it be something else?**

**Thanks again to all the amazing followers, favouriters, and especially reviewers! Please guys, it only takes like 20 seconds, and it honestly makes writing this so much more fun. I know this was a short chapter, but we're setting up for exciting events! I've also decided to set up a more regular update schedule, considering it's been very confusing. I'll be updating (hopefully) every Tuesday, at least until exams. But once the summer starts, updates might be up to 2 or 3 times a week! Love you all!**

_**Follow me on tumblr at novellabellas, alarm1ng, or burdened-with-glorious-popcorn!**_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**AN: Oh god. Exams just started, and everything is going to hell in a handbasket. This next week or two will be pretty shaky in terms of updates, so please try to bear with me! Thanks to everyone who favourited, followed, or reviewed this story, and thanks again to pass-ionately. Here we go!**

**(I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any rights to it. If I did, I would probably rename the show "Klaroline" and every episode would be a different fic I read on here. But anyways. Back to the story.)**

**Chapter Seven**

_Klaus' cottage, Pennsylvania_

"Caroline?" Klaus waited, but heard no answer from the small room inside. "Caroline?" He tried again, knocking at the wooden door. Finally, he sensed movement.

"What do you want, Klaus?" she demanded, throwing open the door and stepping into the hallway beyond.

"We're going on an adventure, love."

Caroline rolled her eyes, stepping back into the room and attempting to close the door. Klaus, however, grabbed it before it could slam shut, wrenching it back. She sighed. Ever since the Elijah incident, Klaus had been bringing her on every errand and shopping trip he had to accomplish. So far she had visited the hospital, supermarket, library, and Wal-Mart; and each time, she had to listen to Klaus blaring Metallica or some other god-awful screamer band.

"Come on, this one will be fun; I promise."

Caroline glared at him with sleepy eyes. "You said that about our last trip to the farmer's market."

"And we ended up getting some delicious alfalfa roots." Caroline groaned, attempting to move around him and into the kitchen, but Klaus grabbed her by the arm. "This isn't up for discussion, sweetheart. Put on some clothes and get ready; we're leaving in ten minutes."

"Will you at least tell me where we're going?"

He paused for a moment, as if debating whether or not to tell her the truth. Finally, he caved. "A lovely little town in southern Virginia by the name of Mystic Falls. There's someone there who'd like to talk to us."

**...**

_One hour north of Mystic Falls, Virginia_

"You do realize that I could just grab you now and this would all be over, correct?"

Elena nodded, choking back a deep breath and stirring the coffee in front of her. "But," she countered, having practiced this speech several hundred times the previous night, "then you would never get Rebekah back."

Caroline gazed outside at the rainy day, running a hand through her blonde locks, before turning back to Klaus. "Don't do it," she advised, sincerely hoping he wasn't considering the possibility. Caroline had suspected Elena would pull a stunt like this, but it was still extremely annoying.

"Damn it, Caroline, don't you want to get out?" Elena demanded.

She was taken aback by the blunt question. _I do want to get out, don't I? Of course I do. I'm being held hostage in a cottage in the middle of god-knows-where with serial killer. _

"Yes, I want to get out," she answered, earning a reproachful glance from Klaus, "but I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself! Why can't you all just give him back his fucking sister and we can get on with our lives?"

Elena rolled her eyes, turning back to Klaus. "The fact is, they aren't going to give you back Rebekah. The best way to get her is going to be to cause some sort of distraction, to lure the Salvatores away from the mansion, and take her. Then you can take me, and let Caroline go."

Klaus was suddenly filled with inner turmoil.

_It was everything I had asked for; hell, more than I was hoping to get. I could take Elena's blood and Rebekah, and be gone within the hour. I could finally say goodbye to this horrible town and everyone in it. It's all I wanted. _

_So why doesn't it seem like it?_

His eyes strayed to the blonde girl at his side. "Sorry, Elena, but that sounds like an awful lot of work. I already made my demands; give me Rebekah, you, and immunity, all wrapped up neatly and dropped on my doorstep, and I return Caroline. Now, if you have nothing else to bargain with, we'll have to be going."

He stood, watching as Caroline stood regretfully to join his side.

"Bye, Elena. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yeah, bye Care."

Elena watched them go sadly, putting her head in her hands as she replayed the conversation in her head. Something about Caroline, the way she looked at Klaus, seemed not quite _right_. She sighed, realizing that it was probably part of being imprisoned with him for several weeks. At least she looked fairly physically and mentally healthy; if Klaus had so much as laid a hand on her, he was dead.

She sighed, realizing the shit she would have to face once she got home. She'd left Damon a note, but she still had a feeling that there would be quite a few arguments to have. She slumped back in her chair. Maybe she would stay there for just a bit longer.

**...**

_Klaus' car, on the way to Klaus' cottage, Pennsylvania_

"What's the matter, love?" Klaus asked, turning to look at Caroline. She had been oddly silent for the entire car ride. Usually, she was like an excited dog, sticking her head out the window and yapping incessantly. Not that he minded, it was just something he had noticed.

"I-," Caroline stopped, thinking over what she was going to say. _What was the matter? _"I just, I just wish Elena didn't value her life so little that she would give it up for mine." She paused, watching the green hills roll by, "I just wish she would put herself first sometimes."

A hundred responses were on the tip of Klaus' tongue. _Your life is worth so much. You're not going to lose it. Caroline, you are so important. _Instead, he pursed his lips and nodded. "Oh."

A few moments passed in tense silence filled only with the steady beat of AC/DC. It was Klaus, surprisingly, that broke it. "Alright, sweetheart, I'm caving. It's your turn to pick the music." He handed her his iPod, watching her reaction curiously. A smile instantly flooded her face, wrinkling the corners of her eyes and pulling her cheeks into adorable dimples.

"Really?"

He nodded, and she took the music player carefully, afraid to damage it with her clumsy hands. She scanned through all the artists quickly, surprised at Klaus' eclectic tastes.

_Arethra Franklin? Beethoven? U2? Taylor Swift? _

Finally, she decided on a song that had comforted her to no end during the past few months, when all this vampire drama had begun. It had helped her through her transition, the death of her father, and hopefully it would help her through this as well.

As '_A Dustland Fairytale' _by The Killers began to play, Klaus looked at her in surprise. "You know them?"

She nodded, humming along to the lyrics that had grown to be her mantra.

_Change came in disguise of revelation  
Set his soul on fire  
She says she always knew he'd come around  
And the decades disappear_

_Like sinking ships but we persevere_

_God gives us hope but we still fear_

_What we don't know._

Klaus couldn't help but to smile. Who would've pegged Caroline for a Killers fan? Yet as he thought about it, he realized that there really was not too much he knew about her. Sure, he knew her story, her past, her friends, but not _her. _What was her favorite color? Favorite movie? What did she like to do on those days when nothing goes right, when the entire world seems to be against you? What were her hopes, her dreams, her ambitions?

_The only way to figure out is to ask. _

He took a deep breath, realizing with a jolt that he had never felt nervous like this before. What was going on with him? He tried to push the thought away. He was in control here. Before he could talk himself out of doing it, he blurted out, "What's your favorite movie?"

Caroline looked a bit taken aback, but answered readily. "I've always been a fan of action and superheroes, I guess. Die Hard, Armageddon, really anything with Bruce Willis."

Klaus let out a small chuckle. "I thought it would've been the Notebook or something equally as perturbing."

She smiled, "Well, I have to admit, that's a close second. What about yours?"

"I've never really been a fan of movies. After living for nearly four hundred years without them, I never really grew accustomed. Plus, what is there in movies that I can't explore in real life?"

"Alien planets. Extraterrestrial life. Completely and totally encompassing love."

"I'm immortal, sweetheart. I have all the time in the world to explore those things at my leisure."

"Alright, what about books, then? You have an enormous library where you spend almost all of your time; so what's your favorite novel?"

"I hope you do realize that this could take several hours, love."

She merely smiled, pressing for him to go on.

He sighed. "I have to admit, I've been a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle since the first story came out. I was in Paris when the craze began; we used to line up for hours at the harbor to get the first copies off the boat. Those were some incredible days, some of my happiest, and Sherlock Holmes always brings me back to then. I also have to admit that I'm a secret Jane Austen fan; Rebekah was actually a good friend of hers, back in the day."

Caroline was amazed. This was the most Klaus had ever opened up to her; ever. "What did you love more; the amazing romance of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, or the mildly incestuous courtship of Fanny and Edmund?"

"You know your Austen well," he complimented, amused as a blush rose to her cheeks, "Something tells me you're a bit more educated on the topic than what one learns from eleventh grade English class."

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for romance."

Their laughter continued well into the afternoon, and it was with dismay that Klaus pulled into his driveway as the day came to an end.

"Goodnight, love."

**...**

**Tada! Another fairly fluffy chapter, but I promise you that next time things will get **_**very **_**intense. Emotions running high, conflict, and quite a bit of violence. Please review! It honestly does make my day a hundred times better. **

_**Follow me on tumblr at novellabellas, alarm1ng, or burdened-with-glorious-popcorn!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Shit, guys, I am so sorry. Seriously. I realize it's been over two months, and I wish I could reasonably justify my actions to all of you. But now I'm back and ready to write! Once again, an obvious thanks to everyone who's recognized this story in one way or another, and thanks to pass-ionately. I'm also currently looking for a second editor/beta to read the chapters early and give me feedback. Any takers? If so, just leave a review or tumblr ask and I'll get back to you! **

**I really wish I owned the Vampire Diaries, but I don't, so this is the shitty fanfiction you all get instead! **

**...**

**Chapter Eight**

_Mystic Falls, Virginia- one week later_

"The time for talking is over, everybody. Caroline's been locked up with Klaus for nearly a month and what have we done to stop him?" Bonnie questioned, pacing up and down the Gilbert living room. "At least Elena tried to help; the rest of us have just sat back and done nothing. It's Caroline, guys," she pleaded, looking into the faces of her friends (and Damon), "We have to do _something_."

Surprisingly, it was the one not-friend in the room who spoke up. "I say we go in, grab Caroline, and burn the place to the fucking ground." Damon was sick and tired of this entire situation. Ever since _Blondie _had left with the original Asshole, all anyone had been doing was bitching about her and what they would do. Elena was getting more and more careless by the second, and it wouldn't be long until she did something stupid.

_And if something happened to her... _

He didn't want to think about it.

"I think that-"

"Damn it, Stefan, the time for thinking is over!" Damon exclaimed. "We need to _act._"

Everyone went silent.

"When?" Tyler finally asked.

Damon paused for a moment, thinking. _When did I become in charge? _Finally, he answered, "Tonight. We'll drive out there after school and we'll be back by morning. But," he paused, looking around, "everyone human stays behind."

Immediately, as predicted, there was an uproar; all from Matt, Elena, and Jeremy.

"We dated!"  
"She's my best friend!"

"No way."

Bonnie came to the rescue. "No, Damon is right. Any one of you could put this in danger."

"But a vampire can't kill an Original! They'll die." Matt pointed out.

"Which is why I'm coming," Bonnie responded, "And this isn't up for discussion. You guys are staying behind."

**...**

_Klaus' cottage, Pennsylvania_

Caroline took a deep breath, settling back into her blankets and trying not to allow the bad thoughts to invade her mind. It had been a week since the Elena-incident, and still not a word from any of her friends. What was taking them so long?

_They don't care about you. When Elena got kidnapped, it took Stefan and Damon less than twelve hours to get her back. You've been here for a month with absolutely nothing. _

She closed her eyes, trying to picture her mom; but even that was fading. Caroline was slowly beginning to lose her mind, and she didn't know how much more of this she would be able to take. Suddenly, she heard a loud gust of wind as every hair on the nape of her neck stood up straight, goosebumps erupting over her skin.

_What the fuck?_

She was just about to get up and see what was going on, when a small piece of paper blossomed in her hand, growing larger and larger until she could make out the shaky letters written on it.

_We're coming for you tonight at six o' clock sharp, Caroline. Try to keep Klaus distracted and tired. We're going to need all the help we can get. Listen for a bluejay chirping; that'll be our signal. -Bonnie._

Caroline let out a small squeal of excitement, before picking up the letter and stashing it inside her pillow.

_They're coming at six? That means they would be here in, _Caroline glanced at the small clock on the far wall, _ten minutes? How the hell am I supposed to distract Klaus in ten minutes? _

_Shit shit shit. Come on, Caroline, think of something; anything!_

Suddenly, an idea came to her. It wasn't going to be easy and it wasn't going to be enjoyable, but it was all she could think of. With a sigh, she undid the top button of her shirt, separating the folds and giving an ample view of her cleavage.

_Here we go._

She hurried to the library, listening quietly at the doors for any sign of Klaus' presence. When she heard the slight rustling of book pages, she slithered in.

"Klaus," she purred, putting all her seductive powers to the test. She'd seen Elena use this once or twice to get what she wanted; it always worked. "I'm so bored; what else do you have to do in this house?" she questioned, licking her lips as she sashayed over to him.

_What the-, _Klaus thought to himself, delighting in the view of Caroline's hips swaying back and forth.

He cleared his throat, trying to disguise the arousal he felt, "There are plenty of books here to read, love," he suggested passively, "Go read them."

She plopped into the chair next to him, leaning forward on her elbows so that her chest was in full view, "I've read so many books here. Besides, I was thinking of something a bit more," she paused, gazing at his surprised face, "physical."

Klaus set his book down as he turned towards Caroline, pretending to be oblivious to whatever she was doing. "There are some weights in the basement, and a punching bag. If you'd like, we could go for a hunt later." He picked up his novel and settled back down in his chair.

Caroline realized that it was getting late. She didn't have much time before they showed up; and then what? She sucked in air and breathed out, "Klaus, I want you."

_Whatever she's doing, two can play at this game. _

"Fine, then," he said, "show me."

Caroline stood up slowly, allowing Klaus a full view of her curves, before grabbing him by the hands and leading him towards his bedroom. "I will show you," she mumbled as she pushed Klaus against the rim of the bed, causing him to fall on the mattress with her on top.

Suddenly, the plan completely slipped Caroline's mind. All she could think about was the feeling of every inch of Klaus' body pressed up against hers, fitting together almost perfectly as she contemplated her next move. She could feel him getting harder and harder as she moved her hips around in a circle, grinding against him.

Without a second thought she crushed her lips into his, slipping her tongue into his mouth as she straddled him. She felt herself being flipped as Klaus moved to get on top, one hand massaging her breast as the other held her waist, his lips peppering kisses up her throat. Caroline removed her hands from Klaus' hair, instead reaching down and lifting up his shirt, running her hands across his smooth muscles. She moaned as his hands moved down, helping to remove her button-down.

"I want you," she sighed, pulling him closer as she arched her hips into his, curling her legs so they were wrapped tightly around his waist. She could feel herself throbbing, digging into Klaus with only a few layers of material between them. She gasped as he lifted her off the bed, carrying her to the table in the corner of the room and setting her there. She loosened her grip around his hips as she leaned down to unbuckle his belt, sliding it off and unbuttoning his jeans. He slid his hands down to her, pulling down her pants.

It was then that she heard the noise she was looking for; the chirping of a blue jay.

Without another word, she reached up lovingly, as if to caress Klaus, and instead punched his jaw as hard as she possibly could. She yanked up her skinny jeans, buttoning them quickly, and pulled on her blouse. She raced out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind her; and sprinted straight into an already-clothed and stake-carrying Klaus.

"Well now, sweetheart, it seems as if we have some explaining to do." He grabbed her by the hair before she could escape, flipping her around to face the front door, and placing a wooden stake to her chest.

It was to this sight, just seconds later, that the Mystic Falls friends came in to see.

"What a pleasant surprise," Klaus announced. "Now, just know that if any one of you takes one more step, or if the witch tries to do any voodoo magic, I will not hesitate to kill her, followed by each and every one of you." All the humor was gone from his tone, his eyes empty and ruthless.

"I certainly hope the reason for this visit is for the delivery of the doppelganger and a certain sister of mine. If not, we might have a bit of a problem on our hands."

"Klaus, you've made your point. We're done antagonizing you, okay? Just give us back Caroline and you can have Rebekah and we'll all go home." Stefan pleaded, looking at the captive with regret.

The Original let out a cold, sharp laugh. "The problem with this plan is that you have double-crossed me far too many times. Bring me Elena, bring me Rebekah, and then I _might _give you Caroline back."

Caroline felt her blood run cold. _Might? _

"Might was never part of the deal, Klaus," said Bonnie, as if reading her friend's mind.

"And neither was barging in here with some absurd scheme to retrieve Caroline and kill me without causing any harm to anyone else. I've changed the deal; if you all leave now without a single word, bring me Rebekah, Elena, and all the white oak, I will give her back. You have my word. And," he added, "you have two days."

"And if we don't?" Damon piped up, glaring.

"I kill Caroline." At his words, he dug the wood even deeper into her ribcage, piercing the skin as she let out a small yelp. "Now leave immediately or I will do it right now."

"Klaus-"

"I'm going to count to three. And if you aren't gone by the time I hit zero, you all die." He looked around, making sure they all understood. "Three, two, one, zero."

The house was empty.

With a grunt, Klaus let go of his captive, throwing her to the ground and placing the stake at his side.

"Oh, Caroline, you made me trust you. And even worse than that; I trusted you, and you played me. You used my weaknesses to spite me." He spoke, his words cutting the air more sharply than a knife.

"Please, Klaus, just let it go. Just let me go," Caroline pleaded, scrambling for her feet as she surveyed the exit possibilities. "I wasn't in on their plan, I had no idea what they were going to do," she lied, but even to her it sounded weak.

"So you're saying that randomly, out of the blue, you decide you're going to distract me, and barely two minutes later your band of misfit friends show up to murder me? That's a coincidence that I find a bit hard to believe, love."

"Please, Klaus, what is keeping me here accomplishing? It's been a month! The cards are entirely in their hands; there's not a thing I can do to get them to give you back Rebekah. If you're going to let me go, then let me go. If you're going to kill me, then kill me. I can't stand any more of this _gray area _thing that's happening," she exclaimed, rushing to her feet and crossing her arms.

He glared at Caroline. "Sorry, love, but the cards aren't exactly in my hands either. I have made everything very clear; it's _your _friends who continue to make mistakes."

"And why should _I _be punished for that?"

"Because by punishing you, I'm punishing them." He advanced towards her, the stake still in his hands. "I have been very lenient to you thus far, Caroline. You need to remember your place."

Caroline felt as her stomach dropped to her feet. She realized, with a start, that it wasn't because she was afraid of him. _It's because I thought we'd moved past that. _Suddenly, a wave of anger swept over her. "You know what? Fuck you, Klaus. You've gotten what you wanted. I'm still here. It's been a whole month, thirty-two days, and I'm still fucking here. How much longer do you expect me to stay here? Forever?"

His eyes turned sharp, his voice dark and cruel; and his words nearly made Caroline sink to the floor in anguish.

"If that's what it takes."

The two days were up, and Caroline was more scared than she had ever been.

_What if my friends don't give up Rebekah? What if Klaus doesn't give me up? What if he has some crazy plan to kill us all? _

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of pacing footsteps outside her door. She sat up, but made no move to leave. She knew that if he was pacing, it meant he was nervous; and when he was nervous, he was his most unpredictable. He suddenly barged in the room, grabbing Caroline by the wrist and yanking her up before she could form a coherent thought.

_What the-_

"Alright, sweetheart, they're coming in five minutes. And this is how it's going to work. They're going to give me Rebekah, the white oak, Elena, and their most sincere apology. If, after all this, I am satisfied, I will give you back and we will part our separate ways. If they make any move or if you make any move to escape or fight, I will kill you. Do you understand me?"

This was quite likely the longest Caroline had ever heard Klaus speak without being interrupted. She nodded, looking down to her wrist and back up at him. Slowly and deliberately, he released her.

"Go gather your belongings."

Caroline scoffed. _My belongings? I have the outfit I was kidnapped in and a blood bag I stole from the hospital. That hardly counts as luggage. _She made her way back into the kitchen and sat in the chair Klaus directed her to.

He checked his watch. "Ready?"

She nodded once more, glancing warily at the stake Klaus now held to her chest. She sighed and leaned back, eager to get as far from the pointed wood as possible. Almost on cue, a slight rapping came at the door as Caroline sat up straight, putting on her best fighting face.

"Come in," Klaus called, not moving an inch.

The door opened as five people trickled slowly in; Stefan, Bonnie, Tyler, and Damon, carrying Rebekah in his arms. Caroline felt Klaus' grip tighten around her shoulder the moment he saw his sister. She took a deep breath in, attempting to calm the both of them.

After a few moments, Klaus spoke. "Where is Elena?"

Tyler unzipped his backpack, pulling out ten bloodbags and placing them carefully on the table. "If she's dead, you won't get any more blood," The hybrid explained. Klaus nodded curtly, processing little other than the sight of his sister.

"Well, are we ready?" Damon demanded, preparing to hand the blonde Original off. Klaus had many more ideas; forcing them to beg for mercy, for their lives, for his forgiveness; but all he wanted at that moment was Rebekah.

"First, the white oak?" It was thrown to the Original, who then placed it on the counter. Violently jerking Caroline up by the arm, he yanked her over to where Damon was standing, and quickly grabbed Rebekah, ripping the dagger out of her as he did so.

"Goodbye, Caroline." Klaus murmured softly, so low that only one person could hear. She nodded. And without another word, they were gone.

_Mystic Falls, Virginia- ten hours later_

"We did it!" Tyler shouted, fist-pumping the air as they marched into the Grill, loud music already blaring. All Caroline wanted to do was go home and take a nap; apparently her friends had a very different idea.

"Welcome home, Caroline!" Matt shouted, running up to embrace her. "We missed you."

She smiled and gave him a quick hug. "I missed you so much. This is awesome, guys!"

After a few minutes of reconnecting and socializing (most people had been told Caroline was on an extended vacation to California) Bonnie was immediately next to her, pulling her by the arm to a quiet corner. Once they were settled, the witch began to speak. "Listen, Care, I didn't want to bring this up in front of the guys, but I need to know if you're okay. Did he-" she took a gulp and continued, "did he touch you? Or hurt you?"

Caroline frowned. She had been expecting this, but assumed it would be sometime in the distant future; and certainly not around so many people. "I'm fine, Bonnie," she reassured, "I am really okay. He didn't hurt me, I swear."

Bonnie instantly perked, a smile lighting up her eyes as she called a waitress over and ordered them two beers. Apparently the waitress didn't even care if they were underage, as she returned a few minutes later with the drinks and without questions. "It's great to have you back, Caroline."

"Thanks, Bon."

They both sat in comfortable silence, looking around at the friendly faces among them. Caroline had never been so happy to be home. And yet, in the hubbub of the night, she had completely forgotten one person.

"Shit, Bonnie, is Elena okay? She had like ten blood bags taken from her! Is she gonna be alright? Shit shit shit!"

Bonnie let out a laugh. "Actually, I think Elena will be quite okay..."

_A forest in Vermont_

"Alright, my little soon-to-be hybrids. Step right up for your first sip of blood. That's right." He smiled and relaxed once they had all been given a drink. He hadn't been able to stop thinking of Caroline for the past day. Everything he did, everything he saw, everywhere he went, just reminded him of her. So he decided to take a day off, to make some new hybrids with his freshly acquired blood. It was going well.

And then the coughing began.

Klaus had seen the symptoms all too well in his previous attempts at creating creatures like himself. The coughing, the blood, the red eyes, the screaming, and the slow, painful death.

_What?!_

He spun around rapidly. _How could all of them have the symptoms? There hadn't been any problems since I began using the Doppelganger's blood._

Then it dawned on him, and the fury he felt was like none he had ever experienced.

Mystic Falls was going to pay for this.

_And back in Mystic Falls, Virginia_

"You did _what_?" Caroline demanded, unsure of whether to be terrified or impressed.

"He could never tell the difference until he starts to make hybrids, which we hope won't be for a few months or so. Elena's going to lie low for the next few days, just in case Klaus has some spies here." Bonnie explained.

_They gave Klaus the wrong blood. On purpose._

_We're all fucked._

Caroline choked out, "Sounds great," before standing up and excusing herself to the ladies' room. Then she started to throw up.

**Ta-da! Okay, I realize I've been gone for practically forever, and I'm super sorry, but voila! It's finally here! Just a quick recap of the past chapters for those who've forgotten; Klaus kidnapped Caroline, she tried to escape, he brought her back, Elijah came to visit, Caroline tried to escape again, Elijah tortured her, Klaus staked him and told him to fuck off, Elena tried to make a deal with Klaus, he ignored it, and now we're here!**

**Please please review, it makes every little thing worth it. **

_**Follow me on tumblr at burdened-with-glorious-popcorn**_


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Thanks so much to everyone for being so lenient about me being gone :) I love you guys so much! Thanks to all the reviewers, followers, and favouriters, you guys make every little thing worth it. Once again, tons of credit to pass-ionately for everything, and are there any takers for another beta? Please? Also I realize it wasn't canon in this time frame, but we're just going to assume that Bonnie/Jeremy, Damon/Elena, and Caroline/Matt are a thing. Deal?**

**Who's excited to see a really pissed off Klaus? (I am)**

**So I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters that appear on the show, but I really like to write about them because they're super chill.**

**...**

**Chapter Nine**

_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

When Caroline woke up, her head was aching. Whether it was from the alcohol or vomiting or dehydration or a mix of the three, she had no idea. She climbed out of her bed and groped at the medicine cabinet, looking for an Advil. She took three, and when she closed the cabinet almost screamed.

"Oh my god, Stefan, you terrified me." She took a deep breath, trying to calm down her racing heart, "What's up?"

He looked around, stalling, as he tried to figure out the best words to say. Finally, he sighed. "We're fucked."

Caroline groaned and leaned against the bathroom sink. _Fucked is basically all I've been for the past two months. _

"I was out hunting alone last night, so I decided to go pretty far, and ended up in a forest in Iowa," he began, "and you'll never believe what I found. It looks like Klaus decided not to wait to make his hybrids; they're all dead, and I have a feeling that the second he has a plan he's going to be here. And I doubt he'll be reasonable."

She groaned once more and put her still-throbbing head in her hands. "Do the others know yet? Shit, we have to keep Elena safe! We've got to get out of here!"

"I told Tyler, Damon, and Bonnie. Somehow Bonnie and Damon were able to convince Elena and Jeremy to go on some weird-ass couples retreat together," he scowled, "and they're waiting for you and Matt to join them."

"So we're not telling Matt or Jeremy or Elena anything?" she demanded, "Won't that just hurt them more in the long run?"

"The less they know, the better. I'm sure they've realized something is up, but hopefully they'll all be able to lay low until this passes over."

"What about you and Tyler? And my mom? Our families? How's that going to work?"

"Tyler knows Klaus best, so he's going to stay behind and try to convince him out of it. I'm going to be here to keep classmates and families safe. Once we're sure there's no danger, we'll come get you all and we can come back here."

Caroline swore. "I still can't believe this. What if he brings an entire fucking hybrid army with him?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. But this is the only plan we have, and we've got to act fast. You have a half hour, then you're meeting Matt at the Grill to go. He knows that Bonnie and Jeremy and Damon and Elena are together and waiting for you two, so hopefully he won't ask too many questions."

She nodded, and he turned to go. "Caroline," he paused, almost out the door, "are you okay?"

"Yeah."

He smiled, then raced out the bathroom and outside.

**...**

"Hey, babe," Matt smiled when he saw Caroline walk in to the restaurant, planting a kiss on her lips as he threw his towel onto the counter, "I just finished my shift, so let me get changed and then we can get going."

"Sounds good!" she said, trying to seem cheerful. The reality was that when Matt kissed her, though he had one it hundreds of times before, something felt... off. She shook it off, assuming that it was simply because she had been gone so long. She took a seat at the bar, waiting for him to reappear from the washroom.

"Ready?" She flinched at the sound of his voice behind her; she hadn't realized he was right there.

"Whoa, sorry, Care. You okay?"

She took a deep breath before answering. "Yeah, fine; just jumpy, I guess." She offered out her hand and he took it, and together they strolled out of the room as if nothing was wrong in the world.

"You're so beautiful; you know that, right?"

She couldn't help but to smile.

**...**

_Klaus' cottage, Pennsylvania_

"Elijah," Klaus growled into his phone, his voice trembling with fury.

"_Hello?"_

"We have a bit of a problem on our hands. How far are you from Mystic Falls?"

_"If I recall, you and I are not exactly the best of friends at this moment, brother. You are in no place to be asking me for a favor."_

"Trust me, Elijah. This one, we will have a lot of fun accomplishing."

_"Is Caroline there?"_

Klaus swore silently at her name, "No."

_"Is Rebekah with you?"_

"Re-daggered and laying in the basement, but yes, technically."

_"So you got your deal?" _He sounded surprised.

"They pawned off the wrong blood on me. I swear to God, this is the last time I will be double-crossed by that group of insufferable idiots." _And Caroline_, he added to himself. "I want to take them down; once and for all."

On the other end of the line, Elijah smiled. _"What do you need from me?"_

"I'm going to take care of the Doppelganger and the Salvatores. If you can get the witch and the hybrid, they should finally be gone for good."

_"And Caroline?" _

Klaus gulped. "She wasn't in on the plan. She didn't know they would change the blood. I want you to stay away from her, Elijah, do you understand? Leave Caroline out of this."

It was a few moments before he responded. _"Whatever you say, Niklaus."_

The line went dead.

**...**

_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Klaus' plan was simple. All he had to do was grab Elena and hold a knife to her throat, turning the two lovesick brothers into putty in his hands. After he tied them up and gave them both a piece of his mind, he would take the human blood bag, make some proper hybrids, and collect as much of her blood as possible without killing her.

Then, through an overly chatty waitress at the Grill, he heard about the couples' weekend destination. He groaned, pulling out his phone.

"Change of plans, brother. You'll take care of the hybrid and Stefan; I'm going down to some strange lake to find the rest of them. We'll check in later." He hit the end button and slipped it back into his peacoat, glancing at his watch.

_Caroline and Matt will still be on the road to the lake house; I can be finished before they even arrived. _

He debated on whether or not to steal a car and finally decided to simply run there, as it would most likely be quicker anyway.

A few miles away, Elijah was smirking to himself. _How could it have been so easy? _He had been expecting the two targets to be alert, ready, tense; instead, they were lazing about, checking their voicemails. It had been incredibly easy to knock them out, bleed them, and stick them in the Salvatores' vervaine room.

Now, he had several hours to kill before Niklaus even arrived at the lakehouse. A thought that had been bothering him for the past week slithered in, though he tried to push it out.

_Niklaus would be so mad._

_And yet..._

He was only an hour away from where Caroline and Matt would be; an easy distance to catch up to them. _She deserves this, _he told himself, _I tried to punish her and when I did, Klaus embarassed me and made a fool out of me. That will not happen again._

With a newfound courage, he threaded through the trees and began to run.

**...**

_An hour north of Mystic Falls, Virginia_

"Damn it, Caroline, help me out here." Matt suggested, unsure of how to properly park in his girlfriend's car. Caroline took his hand.

"You're doing fine." She had let him drive for the past hour so she could get a bit of sleep, but now it seemed as though it would never come. "Are you going in?" Matt nodded.

They were stopped at a gas station outside of town, connected to a small cafe and shops. It was the same place where Klaus had met with Elena, just four days before. Together, they strolled into the plaza, eager to go to the washroom.

The second they were out of earsight, Elijah made his way to the front of the car. Making sure no one was looking, he let the air out of all four tires.

_And now, we wait. _

They broke down only fifteen minutes later, pulling over on the side of the road as Caroline dialed 3-1-1, her back to Matt. Without hesitation, Elijah grabbed the teenage boy and pulled him silently into the woods off the side of the road. He took him by the head until their eyes were nearly touching, and told him, "You will tell Caroline you know a shortcut. You will bring her to the address I will text you. There, you will torture her in every way you've ever feared and know she fears. When she is begging for mercy, you will call me. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, now get back."

Matt strolled out of the woods, surprised that Caroline hadn't realized he was gone. "Caroline, we just have some flat tires, not a big deal. I can fix it up pretty fast."

She looked at him, surprised, and cautiously answered, "Okay." She hung up the phone and proceeded to watch as Matt took out his toolbox and quickly pumped the tires. In a half hour, they were ready to go.

Matt climbed back into the driver's seat and checked his phone. He had one text from an unknown number; '_3761 North Cumberland Ave. There will be tools and a video camera set up; make sure it's recording'. _North Cumberland was only about ten minutes away. They began to drive.

"Matt, we're supposed to be going west, not north," she remarked, as he pulled onto a deserted side street, "we're going down a dirt road; what are you doing?"

"Relax, Care," he said, "Elena and I used to come up to the lakehouse all the time; this is the fastest way."

She seemed a bit suspicious, but decided to let it slide.

Matt watched as the house numbers steadily increased. _3335, 3543, 3667, 3761. _

They were here.

He pulled along another, long, winding, forest-covered dirt road, presumably the strange house's driveway. After they had been going for two miles or so, Caroline was getting antsy.

"Seriously, Matt, where are we going? This isn't some sort of surprise party, is it?"

"Oh, it'll definitely be a surprise."

Caroline tried to conceal her smile. _A surprise party? For me? _

As they pulled up, the blonde vampire couldn't wait to get out of her seat and into the decrepit house. If she had known what was waiting for her there, she wouldn't have been quite so happy.

**...**

**And another (filler) chapter done! I'm really excited for the next one, though, and I think you guys will too. Just watch out for some torture; if you don't like it, just wait, and I can recap later. **

**Elijah's back! How do you guys feel about that? **

**Thanks so much to reviewers, followers, and favouriters, you guys are literally my favourite people on this entire planet. Literally. **

_**Follow me on tumblr at burdened-with-glorious-popcorn!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hola me amigos! I'm completely in awe of all the love in this fandom; you guys are seriously the best. I'm really really excited for this chapter; it's something I've been planning since the very beginning, and it's going to pretty cruel; sorry about that :) If you don't like torture (physical and psychological), just skip this chapter and I can recap next time. **

**I love you all so fucking much, seriously; especially you reviewers, followers, favouriters, and my lovely betas! Thanks so much for all the positive reaction to this fic. You are all great!**

**...**

Chapter Ten

_3761 North Cumberland Ave, Virginia_

"What's going on, Matt? Really?" Caroline was excited. She hadn't had a surprise party in God-knows-when, and she was really happy to be getting one.

"Just relax, Care. It's gonna be great. Now, turn around. I'm gonna blindfold you."

She let out a small giggle, but did as he asked. "Now what?"

"Now, I'm gonna lead you in, and you have to pretend to be surprised, okay?"

She nodded, following after him carefully. She was tense; but she knew that Matt would never hurt her. He was the one person who had seen her at her lowest and still loved her, still called her beautiful every day and taught her to love herself. It was him who'd help her become a confident, secure woman, and she loved him every day for it.

Which is why she was so surprised, so terrified, and so completely confused when a shower of pure pain came over her. She began to shriek, feeling her hands be bound behind her, but not particularly caring. All she wanted was for the pain to stop. And finally, it did. She began to pant, a hundred questions raging through her mind.

_Where am I? What was that? Why did they pour vervaine on me? Is Klaus back? What did he do to Matt? Is Matt alive?_

"Matt?" Caroline mumbled, her throat aching. _I must have swallowed some of the vervaine. _When no one answered, she became more frantic. "Matt? Please, where is Matt? Just let him go; none of this is Matt's fault!"

When she heard the laugh, she nearly passed out. "Matt? Oh, thank god, Matt. We have to get out of here." The blindfold was still on, magnifying all her other senses. She heard light footsteps approaching and instantly shrunk back into the back of her chair. _Since why am I sitting in a chair? _She shrugged it off; she had bigger problems at the moment. "Matt? Matt are you there?"

"Yes, Caroline, I'm here," he said, his voice soft.

"Thank God, Matt, we have to leave. Do you know who set the vervaine? What are we doing here? You need to untie me!" She yanked against the ropes and called out at the discovery that they were soaked in vervaine.

"Sorry, Caroline, I don't think that's going to happen," Matt said, a smile on his lips, "today, I'm going to show you all my true feelings for you, the ones that I've wanted to show you since the first day I met you. Oh, Caroline, we're going to have a lot of fun today."

"What the hell, Matt, what are you-?" Her question was cut off the moment she began screaming, louder than she ever had before. There was what seemed to be a red-hot poker shoved between her ribs; she could hear and even _smell _her flesh sizzling. "Fuck!"

Matt ripped off her blindfold, her eyes adjusting to the dim light of what looked to be an abandoned barn. "Can you even begin to register _how much _I hate you?" Matt demanded, and Caroline felt as if she had been slapped in the face.

"What? What are you saying?" Caroline demanded, and began to scream once more as the poker pierced her thigh.

"For four years, four fucking years, I've had to listen to you; you stupid, disgusting little bitch. Did you think I actually cared about anything you've had to say?" He let out a harsh laugh, "nobody cares, Caroline. You're a waste of space."

The tears began to flow down Caroline's cheeks; silently, at first, then turning to wracking sobs. "Matt, I-"

"Shut up. Do you really think I want to listen to you?" This time the rod hit her stomach. "Do you want to know all the things I hate about you? It's a really long list, I don't know if we'll get through it all. But we can try, right?

"You know what I hate most about you, Caroline? I hate your voice. The high-pitched squeal that comes out of your throat every time you open your stupid little lips; it makes me so angry. You just love the sound of your voice; I wonder how you'd feel if you could never talk again?"

"Matt, please," Caroline begged, seeing the small bottle of murky liquid in his hands, "please, you don't have to do this-"

He grabbed her open mouth and poured the vervaine down, watching the steam fly through her mouth as she writhed in agony, shrieking and sobbing.

"Glad we've taken care of that," Matt said, smiling. "Do you want to know the second thing I hate about you? Your body. It is so fucking ugly. And you know when you wear those tight little shorts for cheerleading? Well, every boy in a fifty mile radius throws up a bit at the sight of your fat ass."

Caroline was crying even harder now, trying to ignore the torturous feeling of the vervaine coating her throat; and even worse, having all her worst fears be realized.

"Your stomach, too," Matt informed her, flicking vervaine on it as he did so, "is just so awful. How do you even get up in the morning, knowing that you're so ugly, and so terrible?"

"Stop, please, stop."

"What, don't you want to know the truth? You, Caroline, are the most disgusting, hideous, worthless, idiotic person I have ever met. I don't even think you count as a person; you are a bug. You should be stepped on and killed."

"Y-you said you loved m-me." She pushed out, as tears continued to flow.

He came up close to her, so their noses were nearly touching. She tried to look away, but he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I lied," he enunciated, "I lied about it all. How could you even possibly think that I would like, let alone _love, _someone like you?"

"I-I," Matt plunged the poker into her abdomen, leaving it there as he said his next words; each one a tear to Caroline's already destroyed heart.

"I hate you."

Caroline passed out. And with the poker still hanging out of her flesh, Matt casually strolled away.

"Elijah?" he called the number on his phone once he was back at the car, "I did it. Caroline's unconscious. Now what?"

_"Was the camera recording?"_

"Yes."

"_Stay where you are. I'll be there in ten minutes."_

Matt hung up the phone, climbing into the front seat of his car and waiting. A vibration hit his hand as he glanced at the screen of his phone; three new texts, all from Elena. He sighed, checking them.

_Where are you guys?_  
_Seriously, it's been an hour._  
_If you guys aren't here in ten minutes we're coming to look for you._

He groaned, forming a quick reply, "_We took a shortcut and got lost, then broke down. We're fine, though; see you in a half hour." _

Elijah arrived a few minutes later, wearing a pristine black suit and dress shoes. "Wait here, I'll come back out and give you new orders in a few minutes." When Matt nodded his assent, the vampire entered. The camera was set a few feet from Caroline's unconscious form, far enough that she wouldn't notice it, but close enough that everything would be captured. He smacked her on the head to wake her up.

"W-what?" she mumbled, opening her eyes. They went wide when she saw who was staring down at her. "Elijah," she announced, feeling like a chain-smoker as the vervaine stung her vocal chords, "I should have known you would be behind this."

"Guilty as charged," he smiled, then paused. "Now, what should I do with you? I've tortured you once before, and it was ever so fun. I though getting little Matt to do it would be even more amusing; from your expression, I can tell it was."

Caroline didn't have any energy left to be scared. "Why are you doing this? Please, I didn't do anything. I don't see what personal grudge you have against me; just please, let me go."

"I'm doing this a nice little '_fuck you' _to my dear brother. Won't he be so pleased to know where I'm taking you?"

"Klaus doesn't give a damn about me. Please, just let me leave. You don't need me here."

She let out a small whimper as he smashed her in the ribcage and she heard a small _crack_.

"Oh, come on, Caroline, you can do better than that," he smirked, yanking the poker out of her abdomen and shoving it back in with twice the force. She let out an ear-splitting shriek, followed by the sound of her convulsing cries. "That's better," Elijah announced, then turned to the camera. "Caroline and I are going to take a nice little vacation; to somewhere tropical, maybe Florida, or China. Wherever we go, I can promise you that it will be very fun. I just hope that you find her before it's too late."

As he was halfway out the door, carrying a semi-conscious Caroline in his arms, he added, almost as an afterthought, "And remember, the lowest and vilest alleys do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside."

And with that last, cryptic message, he was gone.

**...**

**How do you guys like it? I was really excited about this scene playing out; after all, Caroline is so insecure, and I know that having Matt insult her like that would completely destroy her. I wonder how she'll react when she wakes up.**

**School is starting soon, so updates will probably be a bit more irregular, but once I get my feet on solid ground I'm sure it'll be okay. Thanks again to everyone who's acknowledged this story; you guys are the best. **

**Please review!**

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